Before I Die
by Tytue
Summary: Unpredictable, free spirited, temperamental Kitty McMillian has only 8 months left to live and 100 things she wants to accomplish before she dies. None of which includes saving her Kleptomaniac sister from Shield, Or falling in love with the reserved scientist that works for them. Set after the events of the movie. Lang. Themes. Read and Review.
1. Chapter 1

**Actually had this on my computer for quite a bit never got around to uploading it. So here. Enjoy! **

**I do not own Avengers...**

* * *

" Relax enjoy the party. Have some booze there's plenty of it," Tony had said before left Banner to his own devices. In a room full of partying people, who smelled of alcohol, sweat and illegal substances.

Tony called it "advanced training in the art of having fun" Banner called it torture.

He was currently leaning on the balcony of the 50 story hotel that the party was being held in. The city was stretched out before him, all blinking lights and settling darkness. The same city he'd helped save from Loki just two months before. Moving as if nothing had happened.

Sighing he ran a hand through his graying hair, his alcohol had remained untouched. He was a scientist not a wild partying twenty year old. He had enough excitement working for Shield.

He'd would have already snuck out the back door, and haled a taxi back to his lab, if it wasn't for the fact that he'd promised Stark he would stay until the party semi-ended and all the fun people went home. He didn't know who the " fun people" were or how to tell them from a crowd of people who all looked like they were having too much fun.

The one prospect he had of company from the opposite sex went out the window after he'd attempt to explain his lab duties in part to a women at the bar who'd guessed he was a scientist. She smiled at him for about two minutes while he went into enthusiastic explanation before waving to a group of imaginary people and leaving without so much as a " nice to meet you."

" Number fifty six done." Said a female voice beside him. He turned his head sharply in her direction. He hadn't even heard her come up beside him. Except she wasn't standing directly beside him, but instead on the railing of the balcony glancing down at the city as he was, a small smile curled on her lips.

She was going to jump.

He had to stop her.

" Hey," he said calmly. " How about getting down."

She turned to him, her eyebrows curled, her face was that of utter confusion.

He continued his hands out towards her. " Jumping won't solve anything. It'll only make things worse."

" What are you talking abo- Wait do you think I'm going to jump?"

" You feel like there's no other way out, I get that. Just please come down so we can talk about it." He held his hand up for her take, fully prepared for her to jump at any minute. He could swing down after her, use his body to break her fall, because it wouldn't kill him. Only problem would be she would open her eyes to the sight of green and he doubted she wanted that. The sight alone would be enough to give her a heart attack.

" I'm not going to jump," she said slowly, softly. Then in a tone that was raised and angry. " Are you crazy?"

She was the one standing on a balcony.

" Wait. What? No just please come down." He said. She stared at him. The lights dancing against her face made her expression hard to read. Then without warning she carefully stooped down placed one foot then another on the balcony floor, until she was safely out of harms way.

Banner sighed. The woman poked him in the chest. The gesture made him more surprised than angry and he found himself now looking at her with confusion.

" Who do you think you are?" She snapped pulling her finger back to poke him again.

" Excuse me ma'am I think I'm the one who just saved your lif-"

" You can't just go around making judgments about people, you don't even know me. Just because I'm standing on top of a balcony doesn't mean I want to jump?"

He wanted to say yes, but knew doing so would only make her angry, and having her poke him in the chest wasn't making him too comfortable.

" I'm sorry if I ruined your plan," he said sincerely. " But I couldn't just stand there and watch."

She stared at him for a long moment then, a moment in which he realized two things. She had complete heterochromia, and she was the most oddly beautiful women he'd ever seen in his life.

Her skin was the color of caramel, her hair was black and pulled back into a neat ponytail, strains of it fell onto her face brushing her high cheekbones and cradling on top of her upturned nose. Her lips were set in a defiant frown and long fingers dug their way through the bag at her shoulder remerging with a small notebook . One Hazel and one brown eye scanned the pages while fingers flipped.

She seemed to forget he was standing there, or that she was angry at all while she mumbled. " At least I could get fifty six done, fifty five was a no go."

She had to be no more than twenty five or twenty six, and about the height of Natasha, maybe half an inch taller. She wasn't dressed like she came to party, instead her attire was that of someone who just stepped off the street. Blue jeans, black tank top and Converses.

The woman took her mix matched eyes off the paper long enough to glance up at Banner warily. She opened her mouth then closed it again. Shoved her notepad back into her bag then without warning or meaning she grabbed Banner by the shirt pulled him forward and kissed him full on the mouth.

When she finally pulled back her face mimicked surprise, then amazement. " Didn't think I'd have the guts to do it." She touched her lips gently before taking Banner's hand much to his surprise and shaking it roughly.

" Hi. I'm Kitty." She was smiling widely like a school girl.

Still dazed and slightly confused he willed his heartbeat to slow as he shook her hand back. " Banner, Bruce Banner."

She nodded, smiling and taking the name in. She obviously had no idea how much danger she could have been in just moments before. Had he not had more control over his emotions, or known the proper techniques to slow his own pulsating heart things could have ended badly.

If had no control over his own state he wouldn't be here, in a enclosed room full of people, loud ear drum bursting music, and women who kissed total strangers without warning.

" Um is there a reason why you…"

" I need a drink," she said turning and walking in the direction of the party.

" Wait. Excuse me, hey don't walk away." Banner said attempting to stop the women from walking away.

She turned swiftly, her eyebrow was raised.

" Well aren't you going to buy me a drink?"

Against his better judgment, against the screaming voice in the back of his head telling him this was probably not a good idea he followed.

The woman named Kitty seated herself at he bar, a bit hesitantly he seated himself next to her. She wasted no time delivering her order. " Can I have a pomegranate apple cocktail mix, stirred."

" Brandy or Vodka," asked the bartender.

" Brandy will be fine." She turned to Banner. " You want anything?"

He shook his head then held up his still full cup from earlier.

" Give me one minute," said the bartender. Kitty nodded then spun her chair around until she faced Banner.

" I don't normally do that," she said.

" And what is that exactly?" He asked leaning back slightly.

She laughed like he'd told the funniest joke she'd ever heard before. " You really thought I was going to jump. Like I would actually jump from this building." She settled her laughing until all that remained of it was a slight curl of lips. " Believe me there are plenty of better ways to go."

Again he found himself wondering against his better judgment what she normally did do, if it wasn't climbing on top of balconies and kissing random strangers.

_She's probably drunk, that's the only reasonable reason she would act that way_…he thought

The bartender slid her drink towards her. She caught it with her free hand, took a sip then turned back to Banner, so quickly it looked like it was done in the same movement.

" You don't want to be here," she said sudden and bluntly.

He shook his head. " What gave it away?"

She shrugged her thin shoulders. " Your posture looks easy going but your totally tense, and your holding that glass like its your only life support."

He looked down at his hand, his knuckles had gone white from the strain. Well so much for relaxing.

Blowing the rim of her glass she smiled. " Its ok I won't tell the friend who dragged you here, so don't look so guilty."

He laughed slightly embarrassed. " I don't normally come to these things," he admitted feeling slightly better being able to say it out loud. His fingers had found a stray pen in the pocket of his shirt, and were now fidgeting with it.

" And I don't normally climb on balconies," Kitty said. " Or kiss strangers. Sorry for that by the way. You must have been surprised?"

She still hadn't answered the lingering question of why she would do either thing. He opened his mouth to ask her but the only words that would come out were, " No that's quite alright…I've…I've had worse experiences actually." He let his last word trail off under the heavy sound of music and people shouting.

Her long fingers moved around the rim of the glass now, her foot tapped against the bottom of the stool. Interest glimmered in her different color eyes and she smiled again. " Really. I would love to hear about it."  
There was no fake formalities in her genuine request. Her look, her tone, her posture, all told him she really was interested in hearing what he had to say.

That didn't mean he was interested in sharing.

" Listen," he said reaching into his back pocket and pulling out his wallet. " I really should be going. It was...nice talking to you Kitty." He slid a ten onto the counter. " Again sorry about the mishap. Won't happen again. Goodbye," he said.

She smiled and took another sip out of her drink. " Never so final Mr. Banner," she said raising her voice above the music. " We all met again someday. Sometimes sooner and later." Then she turned back to the bar, and their conversation became for that moment a distant memory lost between the lights, music and alcohol as Banner focused on finding Stark.

He found him at the sushi bar chatting with a couple other business owners.

" Bruce buddy the whole point of this is to help you loosen up," Tony said throwing an arm around Banner's shoulder and leading him back in the direction of the party. " It's been what two hours?"

" Three," Banner corrected dryly.

" My point is," Stark said. " This is your chance to get out be a social butterfly explore a new environment outside of your la…and why are you looking at me like that?"

Banner sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose.. " I've had enough, I've come to inform you I'm leaving."

Tony blinked. " What about our agreement? Fine. Yeah ok whatever. You know if you just wait about two more hours I'll drive us both back."

Banner couldn't think of anything worse.

" No it's ok I'll hail a Taxi."

Stark left him then as he headed down the elevator to the street. Once down he hailed a Taxi, told them his destination was Stark Towers and waited patiently in the backseat while they drove in complete silence there.

His ears were ringing and his head was throbbing by the time the Taxi arrived at it's destination and he couldn't stop thinking about the woman named Kitty and what she said before he left her at the bar.

_" We all meet again someday. Sometimes sooner than later."_

" 15.75," the Taxi driver said breaking his thoughts.

" Oh," he said reaching into his back pocket where his wallet should have been. " Sorry about that let me just get my…"

He touched his second pocket, then his fronts, and finally the pocket of his shirt.

His wallet was missing.

* * *

" You were touched by an Angel," Piper said as she opened and closed a worn leather wallet. The ID inside said Bruce Banner and displayed a picture of a man with semi messy brown hair and a sullen far away look.

Reaching over I snatched the wallet from Piper's hands. " And you were touched by madness. I thought we were over this Pip?"

Piper folded her fingers together and glanced down at the darkened sidewalk guiltily. " I couldn't help it. I…he looked like such a nice man…and I saw you too talking. I thought…that maybe if I stole his wallet, just one last wallet maybe…"

I cut her off with a sigh. " Piper…you've got to stop stealing people's wallets. I don't care what you thought. Now I have to find him and return it too him."

Piper considered this for a moment before saying. " You were going to jump weren't you?"

I stopped in my tracks. To say the truth out loud and admit that moment of weakness was to much. I was going to jump, jump and end it all. As I stood on that balcony all I could think of was the true freedom the ground below held. There would be no more waiting, no more suffering. It would end quickly and swiftly.

It was not the man named Bruce who had stopped me, by the time he actually noticed me I could have already ended it. No it was my written thoughts and unachieved wishes in the form of a small hand sized notebook filled with writing that had made me stop and remind myself that I still had unfinished business to attend to before I could even think about killing myself.

The notebook was one of many I owned. Scribbled inside, in my neatly messy hand writing was my grocery list from three days past, memos to myself, changes to my work schedule and random notes about random things I saw through out the day. It was almost like my diary, only more personal, more real. Isolated at the very back, scribbled on ten separate pages were my 100 inspirations for living, 100 things I had to do before I died.

I could feel Piper's eyes on me as I twisted my fingers together in thought. Her gaze was deep and penetrating and never failed to make me think about things I wish I hadn't.

" Never mind what I was going to do," I snapped closing the wallet and sticking it into my bag. " The subject is still about you."

" I said I was sorry," Piper said.

" Sorry won't get that man back his wallet."

I'd stopped marveling a long time ago at how easily Piper could steal. She was a Kleptomaniac after all, and stealing was her own special crazy gift, but really the man had just only put the wallet in his back pocket before Piper had it in her own hands.

We were fraternal twins and looked nothing alike. While her natural hair color was a blonde and straight while mine was black and messy. Her skin was paled and freckled, mine the color of caramel. We were the same height, but I was thinner lacking obvious curve she had in the bust and hips. Her nose was long straight and profound, while mine upturned slightly. But the most obvious difference between the two of us had to be our eyes.

Hers were piercing blue, sharp and lovely. While mine were two different colors, brown and hazel.

" Its not a big deal, we'll just find him tomorrow and give it back," Piper suggested repeating as normal what I'd just said.

" No. I'll find him and give it back. Leave it up to you and you'll steal his car keys next."

We reached the tenant that Piper and I called home. The streets around it were empty and the area around the apartment were surprisingly quiet. Usually at this hour a variety of noises between shouting, music playing and moaning could be heard from the outside. Tonight was our lucky night. We might actually get some real sleep, before I had to wake up 5:30 in the morning and head down to the bar.

Piper burst in our apartment and wasted no time stripping out of her dress until she was in nothing but her underwear.

I lingered in the kitchen still holding my notebook and the man's wallet. I opened my notebook first and glanced over the writing at the back before pulling out my pen and crossing a line through _#55 Kiss a complete stranger_ and _#__ 56 Climb on the edge of an balcony and look down at the world below, _on my list.

Piper came in behind me holding a fresh towel and a new bar of soap. She eyed my book curiously before announcing out loud. " I saw you kiss that guy."

I slammed my notebook closed. I couldn't explain why but blush was curling up my cheeks. " So what? It was on the stupid list, you wrote it so I did it."

" I never said it was a bad thing," she hesitated. " It had to be awkward having a drink with him afterwards."

I nodded. " I offered to drink with him so it wouldn't be awkward." I said.

Piper nodded then said. " It's going to be ten times more awkward when you return his wallet to him." She gasped.

" What?"

" What if he's married. And has kids and he tells his wife that you a total and complete stranger not only tried to kill yourself, but kissed him after he saved you and you went off on him."

" Bugger off may fly," I said in my fake British accent shooing her away. She grinned.

" You're the one mother's warn their sons about," Piper teased running the bathroom.

" And you're the reason why women hug their purses like a new born child," I called out after her. Over the sound of running water I could hear her snickering. I opened up the wallet next and glanced at the ID again going over the name then the address.

The address listed on the ID was from Brazil. There were no credit or debit cards, pictures or gift cards in the card slots. Opening up the wallet wider I turned it over to let the contents fall onto the counter in front of me. A fifty dollar bill, two quarters a cascade of pennies and one dime fell out along with a small white business card. It fluttered in the air for a moment twisting back and forth before it came to rest on the yellow stained tile floor, writing face up.

_Stark Industries. Leading name in Technology_. It read in bold silver letters. Picking up the card I held it close to observe the address and contact information written on the card.

" Piper," I called.

The sound of water stopped. Piper poked out her head covered with soap and peered at me.

I held up the card for her to see. " Have you ever wanted to see the inside of Stark Tower?"

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	2. Chapter 2

**New Chappy. Yay!  
**

**Enjoy. **

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I woke up the next morning to the sound of my alarm and the view of pill bottles and cups of water. I could smell breakfast cooking and hear pots rattling. It was Piper's turn to either run out to get something for breakfast or cook it. As usual, she was deciding to cook. In which a mess usually followed.

Picking up the nearest pill bottle I dumped the required amount into my mouth and swallowed without water. The next bottle I actually had to read, because it was recently prescribed to me.

_Three every Monday, Wednesday and Friday regularly. _Today was Monday. I held three pink pills to my mouth hesitantly. A pill to thin my blood, pills to lower my blood pressure, vitamins A, B, C, D, iron. So many pills to keep my body moving and my dying heart pumping.

I was currently suffering from severe heart failure due to my ventricles suddenly ceasing to function. The exact reason why I do not know and neither do the doctors. They think I've been suffering from severe tissue breakdown in my ventricles since I was a child, and since the condition went untreated it progressed to now. My heart has decided to stop working like everything else in my life.

I have about 8 months to live if I don't decide to speed it along, or get a heart transplant. Currently on the donor waiting list I am number 1000. It shifts every other month but the result is still the same. I have about 2 to 3 years of waiting.

That is not to say that one day my heart cannot just stop beating, because it very well can.

" You have to take them," Piper said sitting a steaming pile of scrambled eggs and bacon on my lap. I glanced up at her, smiling.

" I know," I said. " Its just…sometimes I wonder what the point is if I only have eight mont-" Piper clamped her hand over my mouth. Her blue eyes pierced into mine as she whispered fiercely.

" No don't say that, you don't know. You might get lucky. A heart might come in."

I nodded to get her off my back. She let me go, and then pushed the plate in front of me. I swallowed the pills then took a bite of the food. My mouth full of food I said. " I called Holly she said she would cover the bar until I get there."

" Wait are you going to tell him I stole it?"

" Of course not," I said. "I'll just tell him we found if after he dropped it at the party."

" Right," Piper said shoving my fork into her mouth and chewing thoughtfully. " If I promised I won't steal anymore wallets would you believe me?"

" No," I said handing her back the plate still full of food and heading to the bathroom for a shower.

* * *

" Oh don't look so upset buddy," said Stark clamping a hand on Banner's shoulder. " So she stole your wallet. She could have stolen worse."

" I'm not upset about it," Banner said sliding his hand across the hologram of his computer screen.

" Sure you aren't," Tony said sitting on the rolling chair next to Banner and spinning around in a full circle. " Besides her was there no one else there you could have had some fun with?"

" Depends on what you meant by fun?" Banner said still concentrated on his work, so much so that his glasses were sliding down the edge of his nose noticeably.

" You know…few drinks, couple laughs-"

" Excuse me," Banner said sliding his own chair past Tony to observe a bubbling test tube filled with purple liquid, before sliding back by to his original spot. In all honesty, he wasn't really paying any attention to what Tony was saying, and after last night if the sentence didn't end in "imminent danger" he doubt he ever would again.

" I would have totally understood if I came home last night and saw underwear on the door, perhaps a bra in the hallway?"

Banner had to turn on that note. "What?" He said adjusting his glasses. Tony swiped his hand over the projected screens shutting them down.

" Just saying…it has got to be lonely for a guy whose only friends are test tubes?" Stark said.

" I get by," Banner said attempting to continue his work.

" Jarvis Computer lock system 351," Tony announced, locking Banner out of the computer he was working on. Throwing up his hands Banner turned his full attention to a stone faced Tony.

" _Computers locked, is there anything else Sir?" _Asked Jarvis.

" No that'll be all," Tony said.

" Alright I'm listening," Banner said taking off his glasses and folding his hands against his stomach.

" Now that I have your attention," Tony said. "You are the most reserved man I've ever had the pleasure of torturing. There has got to be someone? Anyone? Woman, dog, cat, parakeet, hamster?"

Banner pinched the bridge of his nose between his thumb and forefinger. He really didn't want to talk about this with Tony or with anyone for that matter, but it was Tony, and Tony didn't take no for an answer.

"There was one," Banner said slowly. "But it didn't work out. He wouldn't let it work out?"

"He?" asked Tony. Banner gave him a look. He knew exactly who " He" was.

"The other me, the green guy. He's not exactly couple friendly." Banner admitted warily.

"Have you tried?"

"Yes," Banner said moving a stack of papers from one part of the desk to another almost nervously.. "Doesn't work out. It's not easy getting close to a woman when you can't get excited?" He clamped his mouth shut, wrong use of words he could tell by how Tony was smiling. He already knew what Tony was going to say before he even said it.

"There are medicines for that buddy," Tony said jokily. "Sorry I couldn't help it, you fell right into that one."

"Can I please get back to work now?" He asked his eyebrows curling in annoyance.

"Sir," said Jarvis.

"Yes Jarvis," Tony called.

"_There are two young women down stairs requesting_ –"

Stark cut him off. " Let the receptionist get them."

"_They say they have Dr. Banner's wallet. A Kitty and Piper McMillian_."

* * *

" Listen I just want to return the stupid wallet to him and go to work," I said swinging the wallet in the air in front of the Receptionist face. She cocked an eyebrow at me then went back to typing. "Has he not reported his wallet missing?" I asked my voice raising.

She turned to me again. "Miss you have one minute to move away from the desk before I call security. If you require a meeting with Mr. Stark or any of his associates I have provided you with a number you can call and get an appointment."

"Fuck it," I said stomping over to the elevator. I had too little life left and no need to excite myself anymore than necessary. Behind me, I could hear the Receptionist calling security. I didn't care. Pushing the up button on the elevator I turned to where Piper should have stood. She was gone.

The elevator opened I stepped forward without looking bumping into someone in front of me. " Why does everyone and their mother want to get in my way to-" I glanced up coming face to neck with Tony Stark, beside him stood the guy from the bar named Bruce Banner.

"Well hello there," Mr. Stark said.

"Um hi," I said waving.

Mr. Banner said nothing.

"I was just coming to return your wallet to you," I said holding it out for him to take. "Every penny is still intact. Also to apologize for the inconvenience."

"Question is how you came to acquire it?" Stark said raising an eyebrow. He looked amused.

"He dropped it," I said a little too quickly. "Right after he left the bar, I tried to find him but he was already gone. I found the business card inside and thought this would be the perfect place to start. Looks like I was right so…"

He took the wallet our fingers brushed lightly in the exchange and I was suddenly reminded of the surprise kiss I'd given him. Come to think of it he'd taken it completely to well.

The way he was looking at me bordered on uncomfortable. It wasn't the look that most men gave, the "You're a piece of meat at the butchers and I'm the butchers hungry son," no it was different, like he was observing me like some sort of test subject.

He took his eyes off me long enough to open his wallet and peer through it's contents, finding nothing missing or astray he nodded and muttered, " Thanks. You didn't have to do this."

"Of course I did," I said. A hand found its way to my shoulder and before I knew, what was going on I was being pushed back towards the elevator.

"Cat was it?" Stark perked in.

"Kitty," I corrected.

"Right," he said. "I just have to know how you managed to convince him the most boring and reserved man in this entire city to drink with you."

I ducked under his arm and moved away. My first priority was finding Piper then going to work. Stark was handsome and all but the longer Piper was missing the more likely she was to put Stark Industries out of business.

"Rain check," I said. "I really have to go."

"Beautiful and busy wanting to be somewhere else. I can see how you got Banner's attention." He said. I ignored that last comment as I turned on my heel and headed in the opposite direction, passing by the receptionist who gave me a dirty look, to the other side of the room.

Piper I swear to god if you steal another thing I'll chop your hands off myself…

"Bathroom break," Piper said behind me. I swung around.

"The hell Piper."

She grinned.

"You didn't steal anything did you?" I asked checking her pockets.

She shook her head. "No not yet."

"Not ever," I said leading her out of the door before the urge set in her.

* * *

"Meow," Ole Barnaby cooed as I slid his drink towards him. Half annoyed and half flattered that he managed to make that sound every time I slid a drink his way, I smiled at him. "Young feline like you should come warm my bed, I am cold at night."

"Old Man, I'm young enough to be your daughter two times over."

He smiled a wide no tooth smile. If nothing, else Ole Barnaby was a regular. He Came in every Monday, Tuesday, Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays. Saturdays and Sundays were his drug store days.

"But not too young to warm my bed," he said grinning at me.

Picking up a glass I ran my towel over the inside and the rim, on my top 100 things to do before I croaked sleeping with someone 10 years older than I was, was on the list, but anything over that wasn't happening. I opened my mouth to remind him that I was 25 and he was 70 and it would never work; I doubted his reproductive organs even worked any more. Nevertheless, he beat me to the punch.

"How have you been feeling lately?" He asked his usually high-pitched voice now rough and staid.

He was relating to my dying heart, and the fact that under the makeup I looked like death walking.

Sitting down the current glass I picked up another and tried to avoid his gaze "I try not to think about it, or count the months."

"That's the problem with you children today," Ole Barnaby said.

I put down my glass. Him calling me a child didn't bother me as much as I thought it should.

"And what's that?"

He scratched his chin thoughtfully then said, "You give up and lose hope to easily. If the people in my day gave up half as easily as you children today nothing would get done."

"I haven't given up," I said softly, slowly. I thought about the balcony then, how I was going to jump. I did give up in that moment. _So why am I lying…_

His droopy eyes were hard and wet as he looked at me, his jaw moved and he shook his head defiantly. "Yes, yes you have. And the sad part is you can't even admit it." Then sliding the money on the counter and putting a five in my tip jar he shuffled off.

I watched him go half wanting him to leave for being correct, and half wanting him to stay for his wise company. But he was old and had better things to do than listen to the quarreling of someone he considered to be a child.

A dying child…

"Oh I know that look." Someone said snapping me out of my daze.

"Hi Dick."

Richard's face fell; he hated it when I called him Dick. He shook his dreaded head and wrinkled his long profound nose, his silted eyes peered me over skeptically.

"What happened?"

I don't know how but he had the ability to tell when something was going on with me. Perhaps it was because out of my own conscious will, I often wore my heart on my sleeve. A trait I hated about myself, even through I often tried to hide it.

" Piper stole again," I admitted.

"Again?" He exclaimed. "What now?"

"Some guy at that party I went to last night," I said conveniently leaving out the part about me almost jumping to my death or kissing that same guy.

"Turns out he works for Stark Industries."

"And?"

"And," I continued. "I went all the way across town to return it. I met Tony Stark which wasn't all the great; he's more handsome on TV. This chops 'meet Tony Stark' off my list."

"That's great," Richard said. "But that's not what's bothering you. Solutions don't bother you, problems do."

Another customer sat down at the bar, a fat middle aged woman wearing a green neon dress that was two sizes to small.

I put on my happy smile. "How can I help you?"

She looked around the bar and grill surveying the people who sat, talked and ate.

"This is the Blue Ball Bar and Grill right?"

I resisted the urge to laugh, the name got me every time, and instead peered over at Richard my lips curled tight. It was his brothers bar and grill after all, and Richard did name it. He grinned then walked over to his side to arrange glasses.

"Yes," I said finally composing myself. "We have drinks, ribs, buffalo wings-"

She cut me off. "Tell me do you eat that stuff?"

The question caught me off guard, and I could feel her small beady eyes sizing me up and down. I opened my mouth she cut me off again.

"I bet you don't, as skinny as you are. Look at you little thin thing, if you fall I bet you'd break in two," she hissed bitterly.

I slammed the cup I was washing down on the counter. "Really is there anything I can get you because if their isn't there the doo-"

Richard took my arm in one of his. "How about you go take a break? Hmm. I'll run the bar until you get back."

"I'm fine," I huffed. Which was a lie, my heart was pounding in my chest and I was having hard time breathing.

"No you're not, remember your heart."

As if I could forget it, with it beating rapidly against my ribcage, each beat sending a dull pain radiating though my chest. Leaning against the staff lounge wall I settled my breath first then willed my heart to slow. My fingers moved to the back pocket of my jeans to where my notebook was. Opening it to the third page I read the message inside, written in Piper's handwriting.

_Never give up because I won't _

"Right," I said sitting myself up and heading back to the bar. "I'm ok Dick I'm back and ready to…"

Richard stood at the bar his hands up by his head, the woman in green head lay on the bar counter, a gun was pointed at my face.

People dressed in all black surrounded the bar. They did not look happy. A black man bearing an eye patch and long black leather coat stepped forward. Out of the ten people in black he looked the most unpleasant of them all.

"Kitty McMillian. We need you to come with us."

I opened my mouth to ask why, but the only sound that would escape was a weak, "ok."

A feeling in my gut told me this was Piper's doing.

* * *

_# 37 get arrested by cops, _was actually on my list of things to do before my heart stopped beating in my chest. Getting arrested and contained by another organization I've never seen or heard about was not. I would change it in my notepad if they hadn't taken it along with my bag full of my Meds, money and pens.

I was sitting at a table in a large metal room, with one door which I was currently facing. My hands were handcuffed and a large camera stared me right in the face. In the coarse of two hours three men and a woman had come in, the woman to give me water, two men to glare at me before leaving.

The door opened again and both the men from before stepped through, positioned themselves on both sides of the door, hands at their groins, eyes shaded by sunglasses. The black man from before followed suite and stood directly in front of the table.

"Kitty McMillian do you know why you are here?" He asked.

I took a deep breath then let it out before answering. "I'm sure it's a pretty good reason seeing how you blindfolded and handcuffed me."

"I am sorry about the inconvenience, but there are certain measures that must be taken-"

"No you're not," I snapped, and then a little louder I said, "Why am I here?"

He continued as if I hadn't spoken. "Taken to insure the upmost secrecy. I am Nick Fury director of Shield, and I am here to ask you a few questions."

"You never answered mine," I snapped crossing my handcuffed hands together.

"Nor will I," he said bluntly holding out his hand. The man on the right of the door placed a folder in his hand. He opened it and looked through the contents then put his one eye on me. " Kitty McMillian, orphaned at the age of five, raised in a foster home. Emancipated at 16 with your twin sister Piper McMillian."

"Am I here to listen to my own backstory Mr. Fury?" I asked.

He continued. "It says here that you are suffering from severe heart failure due to tissue breakdown in your ventricles." His eyes displayed no sympathy as he said. "With that condition you have about-"

"Eight months," I finished for him. "I know."

He sat my folder down in front of me, I averted my eyes. Another folder was placed in his hand, he opened it.

"Then there's your sister, same backstory, orphan, foster child etc. etc. Kleptomaniac. Arrested three times for shoplifting, charges dropped twice." He mocked surprise. Well how did that come about?"

He stopped to await my answer I still refused to look in his direction. "I did what I had to do," I said. "Can we get to the point?"

"It seems you've spent your entire life caring for you sister," he said. "Making sure she's safe, goes to school even after you both graduated."

Where was he getting at? "It's a least I can do." I said.

He closed Piper's file and set it on top of mine. A tablet was handed to him next. Turning it he hit a few buttons then slid it front of me. I stopped it with my handcuffed hands.

A video was playing.

"What is this?"

He said nothing. I watched the screen.

There was a view of an empty hallway, dimly lit, silver and huge. A vent in the ceiling opened and a figure crawled out and landed on the ground, they were dressed in all black skin tight material. The figure's hair was blonde and pulled back into a tight ponytail. They turned quickly facing the camera for half a second before pulling something out of their belt and throwing it at the camera. The screen went black.

The figure was Piper.

"That video was taken 9 years ago at 3:00 a.m. You were what sixteen?" He said as if it were ironic. "Let's fast forward two years."

The screen flicked again until there was another view this time of a brightly lit room. Piper stood in the middle of it wearing the same outfit. The door on the farthest side of the room opened and men in black suits walked in holding bats and pipes. The smallest in the middle an elderly man with a cane was speaking directly to Piper, there was no sound but I could tell the words were harsh, threatening.

Then leaving the room with two others he left Piper with three men and her bare hands. The fight lasted about five minutes before Piper using one of the pipes she just soiled with blood burst open the window above the door, slipped her hand though it and walked out unsheathe.

Speechless I stared at the black screen, my heart pounding a mile a minute, my chest aching.

"We've been watching your sister for quite a while now, trying to decide whether or not she's a threat, trying to figure out who she's working for."

It was all coming to me now, the reason why I was here, how Piper could steal so effortlessly. "She's s stolen something you want," I whispered. "Something dangerous, and now you can't find her. You're hoping I know where she is."

His eye widened. "Oh we know you don't know where she is. Your sister as well as who's she's working for now know we've been watching her. Getting you involved would be a stupid move."

"So you're hoping I'll contact her, and she'll answer." I said. It must have been the right answer because he said nothing for a long moment.

Then slowly, conversationally like Ole Barnaby in the bar he said, while pacing with his hands behind his back, "Your heart. Last time I checked you were number 999 as of today on the donor waiting list?"

I didn't answer. The roomed seemed to be getting steady smaller around me and I was having hard time breathing. I fixed my mix matched glare on him.

"Shield has powerful connections; some of our greatest minds have come up with brilliant solutions for organ transplants, hearts especially. And if you don't trust that, finding you a suitable heart would be…"

"What are you getting at?" I hissed.

He looked surprised. "Who me? I'm only offering you a solution to your current predicament."

"Do you really think I'd sell my own sister out for my life?" I couldn't help laughing a little over the sharp pain in my chest. "You must not have read my file carefully enough."

He shook his head. "Well that's a shame. I was hoping to do this nicely and let you be on your way."

"We all know that's a lie," I said my fingers curled against my chest._ If my heart stops beating I can avoid being tortured and perhaps give Piper the chance to get away where ever she is. _

His face mocked disappointment as he slid a touch screen phone in front of me. "In case you change your mind."

He headed towards the door, and then stopped, handed something to the guards and continued forward, barring the door behind him.

The guards stepped forward; from my hunched position in the chair I could see one had a needle and a bottle of clear white liquid. He filled the needle then taking my arm roughly while the second guard held me still he placed in the needle in the vein of my left arm.

I waited for death.

Slowly my breathing settled and my heart coursed to a steady almost healthy beat. My vision stopped blurring and I felt better than I had all day.

They had eliminated the one chance I had at killing myself and getting away.

* * *

**OMG! I KNOW! What's going to happen to Kitty. There will be more Banner in the next chapter promise!**

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	3. Chapter 3

**New Chappy. Yay!  
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* * *

I fell asleep on the table my arms crossed over my face, my cell phone in front of me where Fury had left it. The sound of metal scraping against metal and chair being pushed in front of me snapped me out of my sleep and made me sit up quickly.

A woman with short red hair sat in front of me, her eyes were large and there was a slight smile on her face. I recognized her as the woman on the news who was fighting during the alien invasion.

" By the look on your face I'm guessing you've seen me before." She said in a sickly sweet voice.

I crossed my handcuffed hands together, refusing to talk.

" My name's Natasha. I work for Shield. I just came to talk. Can we do that.?"

I glanced up the guards were gone.

" Just me and you two women."

I turned my attention back to her. Making my voice was hard and cold as possible, I said. " You can tell that wanker that he can send a thousand people in here to try and talk. And the result will still be the same. You want my sister call her your fucking self."

She perched her lips together. " Do you even know what your sister stole?" She asked.

When I neglected to answer, she opened up the folder sitting in front of her then slid it in my direction. There was a picture of a balding middle-aged white man wearing a lab coat and holding a beaker. Pulling the picture back, I read the paper behind it_. Dr. E.L. Waldling Biological Scientist at the Research and Development lab of New York City. _

" So she stole something he made," I said still flipping through the pages, yet not reading them.

Natasha shook her head. " No we have what he made," she paused then reached over to take the file from my hands. " What's the use in having a invention if you don't have the person who knows best how to use it."

_Good job Piper you've upgraded from stealing wallets to stealing people._

" That's why we need your help," Natasha said. " What your sister stole is dangerous, and with your help could mean the difference between peace or another war."

" And who's to say that after I call her, that you won't kill us both after you get what you want."

She blinked; she obviously wasn't expecting that question. Then pursing her lips again she looked me right in the eyes and said. " I promise no harm will come to you."

" Or my sister," I said.

" Or your sister," she said slowly.

" She won't answer, she's not the stupid," I added as if not hearing her empty promise. I could tell she was lying. There was no way after all this was over that they intended either of us to live.

" Then leave a message, let her know that you are unharmed and will remain so if she comes to us." She said sliding the phone closer to my hands.

" As opposed to me screaming and crying while you guys torture me." I said making no move to grab the phone.

" The message will be sent either way," she said softly, kindly. " So what will it be?"

" I don't have much of a choice," I said.

" We all have a choice," she said bluntly.

" And if she doesn't respond?" I asked.

Unblinking she said. " Lets hope she does."

There was a moment in which all I could do was stare at her, then look warily around the brightly lit room. My fingers inched forward until they touched the phone. Turning it on I took my slow sweet time running my fingers over the touch screen numbers. I was seconds away from heading the send bottom when the phone rang.

The sound of Bats for Lashes filled the air. Piper was calling me.

I answered the phone quickly.

" Piper. Piper."

" Kitty? Kitty? Are you alright?"

It wasn't Piper, it was Robert.

" Is Piper alright?" I shouted.

" Yeah, where are you Kitty?"

" Why do you have Piper's phone Robert?"

" She left it with me. I told her you were arrested; she said it was the best place for you to be right now. She sounded like she was in deep shit. I'm heading down to the airport now to talk some sense into-"

" Robert!" I exclaimed reaching to turn off the phone hoping that somehow they didn't hear that. They did. A hand wrapped itself around my cuffed one and pulled the phone out of my hands.

" Did you get that?" Natasha asked touching the piece in her own ear. The nodding she turned off my phone and walked back towards the door. The guards came in then. Lifting me out of the chair, they walked me out of the room into the hall around the corner to another room. Opening the door, they threw me inside and slammed it shut.

* * *

" I'm sure if you ask her nicely she'll tell you anything you want to know," Stark said as he observed the screen with mock interest.

" My request was kind enough," Fury said.

Stark shook his head. " Then why are you in here and Natasha's out there? Questions, questions."

Fury ignored him, instead focusing his attention to Banner who was busy at one of the central computers typing and moving his fingers hurriedly across the screen. " How is the synthesizing going?"

Banner adjusted his glasses. He had been hard at work analyzing and reanalyzing the substance they brought in just an hour ago trying to break down its chemical structure with no success.

" Working on it," he said.

Stark who was eating an apple pointed at the screen where the arrested Kitty sat, in front of her Natasha.

" You can tell that wanker that he can send a thousand people in here to try and talk, and the result will still be the same. You want my sister call her your fucking self." Kitty said.

Stark winced. " Wanker? That's a new one. She is charming. Was she this elegant at the bar Bruce?"

Banner shrugged. " She didn't call me a wanker if that is what you're asking."

" And if she refuses to tell you want you want to know," Stark asked Fury.

" We do what he have to," was Fury's cold reply.

" Your implying torture," Stark said darkly. " I was under the impression that Shield didn't torture half dead women in desperate need of heart transplants," he took another bite of his apple. " Or maybe you do."

Banner stopped typing momentary, opening his mouth to comment then snapping it shut again, and instead peering over at the screen where the woman named Kitty still sat. Natasha had managed to get her to hold the phone. Kitty peered around the room her eyes rounded with black circles wary and afraid. He knew that look, he wore it every time he feared an incident. It wasn't fear for herself, it was fear for someone else.

Her fingers moved slowly over the pad, more slowly than he knew they should. Her lips were folded into a tight line against her face, a stark difference than the way they were when he first met her.

She knew she was going to die.

Without meaning to, he'd stopped working to watch her on the screen. He wanted to see what her reaction would be.

Her phone rang then, and she answered it hurriedly. The conversation rang through the room they were sitting in.

" Piper. Piper." She said.

" Kitty? Kitty? Are you alright?" A male voice exclaimed on the other end.

" Is Piper alright?" Kitty said.

" Yes, where are you Kitty?"

" Why do you have Piper's phone Robert?"

" She left it with me. I told her you were arrested; she said it was the best place for you to be right now. She sounded like she was in deep shit. I'm heading down to the airport now to talk some sense into-"

" Robert!" Kitty exclaimed cutting him off. Natasha grabbed her arm then taking the phone from her with one hand.

" Did you get that?" Natasha said.

" Yes," Fury said. " I'm sending you and Hawkeye, Stark will be on standby."

"Yeepe, I get to suit up to what capture a girl." Stark replied dryly throwing his half apple at the nearest trashcan, missing in the process. It landed on Banner's computer bounced off and plopped on his lap. " What about Banner?"

" He stays-"

" Here I know," Banner said carefully rolling Stark's apple into the trashcan. " Its better that way, I don't think you want me in an airport full of noise and people."

" Right. Right," Stark said. " Look on the bright side buddy, now you're not the only one being contained." He pointed at the screen where Kitty now sat in a closed cell. Her knees drawn up to her chest, her face buried in them, she was shaking and rocking back and forth. Stark really had a way of making people feel better about themselves.

" Are you going to leave her in there?" Banner asked.

" She stays until we get what we want," Fury said.

" Really not a good idea. You know just in case this whole thing backfires and you need her help again." Stark brought out.

Fury walked out then ending the discussion. Shrugging Stark followed to get suited up, leaving Banner in the room alone with the display of Kitty and his computers. On the table beside his hand was her file left by Fury.

His curiosity as a scientist getting the best of him he opened it peeking inside. It was the standard file displaying her name, date of birth, place of birth and back history on several various sheets. Below it, all was a small hand sized notepad. Ignoring the other papers he pulled the notepad free and flipped through its contents.

Words were written on every sheet he passed, each in different handwritings, sketches were drawn on every other page with acute precision. There was a sketch of the New York Park with the words; _Only old people and assholes come to the park…_written under it. He flipped another page. _Don't give up cause I won't, _was written on the next page in a different font, a horribly drawn picture of a girl holding up a peace sign drawn under it.

Still flipping the notepad's pages stopped until he reached a section where the paper was more torn and frayed.

_100 Things To Do Before I DIE! _

He flipped further until his fingers stopped again.

_# 55 Kiss a Total Stranger. _

_#56 Climb on Top of A Balcony Without Falling _

His eyes moved over the page examining the neat handwriting, his mind wondering to that night. _So she wasn't trying to kill herself…_he thought as he reread the page as if not fully understanding what he was seeing. Then looking up at the screen at her in the cell, she still shook but this time more violently the compulsions seeming more erratic than before.

She was going into cardiac arrest.

* * *

When I first found out that my heart was failing, I was not saddened by it. I already knew somewhere deep inside that something life changing was happening to me. And when they told me that I could no longer do the things I loved to do, I wasn't mad.

There are a number of things that could kill me, running, jugging, conflicting situations, emotions, stress, sex, basically anything that caused my blood pressure to raise and my heart to beat uncontrollably to the point where I had a hard time calming it down.

After a while controlling my emotions and my heart became easier and easier until I could calm or rage my heart. Too much pressure on my heart would eventually cause me to go into cardiac arrest. I wanted that.

Pressing my face in between my knees, I willed myself into anger and frustration. Anger at my situation, anger at Piper for what she'd done, anger at my dead parents. I balled it all up inside myself and hurled it around as hard as I could until my chest ached and my body shook.

Forcing myself to live was hard, killing myself was easy.

" Open that door," Banner said to the guards standing in front of the cell. They seemed bewildered at first, before seeing the look on Banner's face and opening it as fast as the door would allow.

Wasting no time Banner placed a hesitant hand on the woman's shaking arm. She collapsed falling backward. He caught her before her head could hit the floor. Her body had stopped shaking and lay still, and she wasn't breathing.

" Medic," he called. Wide eyed the guards ran in the opposite direction. _I need you not to die on me, _he thought as he laid her down on the floor. She felt lighter than he had thought she was and her skin felt looser than it looked.

Wasting no time waiting for the medic, he pressed his hands against her chest and proceeded to perform CPR.

I dreamt that I was standing next to Piper while she arranged all the stuff she stole in her room, lecturing her on the importance of stopping her habit. She wasn't listening as usual, to busy arranging her goodies. I was just about to bend down and help her when she stopped and looked up at me with wide blue eyes.

" You lied," she said. Blood dripped out of her pouty pink lips.

" What…No I didn't," I stuttered.

Blood tears rolled out her eyes then, mixing with the blood of her mouth until a pool formed beneath us both. She stood then a knife she stole in her hand. Lifting it, she stabbed me in the chest where my heart would be.

" You lied!" She shouted twisting the knife.

I sat up then gasping for hair, holding my chest, struggling to calm myself. My eyes wondered down to where the knife had been thrust looking for signs of injury. There was no knife, I was alive, I was safe.

_I'm alive…I shouldn't be alive. _

I opened my eyes surveying my surroundings. I was no longer in the cell, but lying in a bed in a room equipped with a table and digital clock. Throwing back the covers, I threw my legs weakly over the side of the bed. There was an IV in my arm and my clothes were missing replaced with a white bed dress that was ten sizes to big.

Removing the IV I stood on bare feet and shaky legs. The door was ajar and light streamed in from the room ahead. Quiet and carefully I crouched past the small opening in the door to another room, which was bigger than the one I was in.

Computers surrounded the room, along with tables full of test tubes and beakers, petre dishes and bubbling liquids. A huge couch was seated on the far end of the room facing the view of the city, a door blocking its access.

There was a small kitchen on the other end a counter in the middle, surrounded my bar chairs. A man stood in front of the counter, making coffee. Strolling carefully out to where the long counter holding test tubes and beakers set I picked up a pair long, sharp tongs.

Holding them in front of myself, I moved to the kitchen where the man was still turned making coffee. Standing on the other end of the counter, I opened my mouth to ask where I was.

He spoke first. " I would suggest you put those down."

The sound of his voice startled me and I jumped moving back slightly in the process. He turned still holding the coffee pot.

" You," I spurred out. " The guy from the balcony…the one Piper stole the wallet from."

" Guilty as charged," he said placing the coffee pot down slowly. " Now how about we put-"

I held the tongs up higher. " Where am I?"

He stepped closer his hands up in surrender. " I'll answer all your questions just please," he gestured a down motion with his hands. He didn't look as afraid as I imagined he should, just cautious, like there was something else we was more worried about than being stabbed with tongs.

" Why won't you bastards just let me die?" I said.

" Sorry bout that," he said casually still holding up his hands. He slowly made his way around the counter until he was several feet away from me.

" Stand back or I will stab you," I said holding the tongs out farther. My hands were shaking and my mouth felt dry.

" You don't want to do that," he said. " It won't end well for you."

" Are you threatening me?"

" No just a warning," he said in a tone that was so calm it was boarding on creepy. " I would rather not have to hurt you."

" I just want this all to end," I said truthfully dropping the tongs slightly. I was sick of all this not knowing what was happening, or where I stood in the pool of life and death.

" And it will just please…" he stepped closer until the point of the tongs touched his chest, lifting his hands he cautiously wrapped one hand around the tongs and pulled. I released my grip and it fell from my fingers into his. He placed the tongs on the counter with the test tubes and beakers. " There we go, crisis averted," he said calmly.

Against my will, I could feel tears rolling down my cheeks, and my hands were shaking uncontrollably. I couldn't say whether it was fear or anger, regret that I'd actually tried to kill myself, or the combination of all my jumbled emotions.

I reached out unconsciously for a warm body, any warm body that I would find. It was usually Piper that comforted me, but my safety net wasn't here. Leaning forward I pressed my hands against warm clothe, flesh and bone. My body followed then until I was clinging desperately to the man, I just threatened with tongs, sobbing like everything I'd ever known was lost. Because in a sense it was.

He stood stiffly, awkwardly patting my back softly but not embracing me back. He was saying something, but between the rush of blood surging in my ears and my own pathetic sobbing, I couldn't hear a word of what it was.

For this one time, only this one time, I would allow pity for myself and cry.

* * *

**CLIFFHANGER Hanging from a cliff and that's why he's called CLIFFHANGER!**

**Virtual Cookie dish open to all who REVIEW! Lov's ya! **


	4. Chapter 4

**Read. Enjoy. Review!**

**I do not own Avengers...**

* * *

When my tears had dried and my breath settled I pulled back slowly my swollen eyes at the floor. His shirt was wet from my tears and the sweat on my hands.

" I'm sorry," I said rubbing my eyes with the end of my sleeve. Now that I had calmed down, I could feel the chill of the room creating goosebumps on my skin. When I finally looked up, I noticed he'd moved back five steps.

" I don't normally do that," I said.

" Cry?"

" Both," I admitted pitifully still rubbing my eyes.

He poured his coffee down the sink then started a new batch. I sat down on the one bar chairs facing his back.

" Are you some sort of guardian angel stopping me from killing myself?"

He turned around to look at me with disbelief, pulled his sleeves up further then said, " Not even close. I'm just a scientist."

I took that comment for what it was worth and asked the one that made the most importance.

" Why am I here?"

" Do you prefer the cell?" He asked in a tone that was half sarcastic and half inquisitive.

" That's not what I asked smartass," I snapped back crossing my arms over my chest.

" You were going into cardiac arrest, I told them it would better for you here when you awoke." He turned then to ready his already heated coffee.

" I didn't need you to move me here, I needed you assholes to let me go." I said.

" That's why it would be better for you," he said pouring himself a cup. " Do you always call names?"

" Only when I'm angry," I said.

He seemed surprised at that statement, his eyebrows raised then fell and he grimaced slightly. "Only when you're angry? So threatening people with tongs isn't something else you do?"

" No," I said. I glanced around my surrounding then, through the doors separating the lab from the kitchen and the couch facing the large glass window. " Is this your apartment?"

He took a sip of his black coffee. He squinted and looked around as if he was just seeing the place for the first time. " You could say that," he said.

" So you save my life not once but twice, and you bring me to your apartment for my own comfort. Are you a good guy or are you just like the rest of those Shield people?"

" I try to be good," he said matter-a-factly.

I opened my mouth say that, that wasn't what I was asking, but he'd already moved away, out of the glass door into the mini lab to stand at the counter. He really was the most awkward and reserved person I had ever spoken to, and I spoke to many people at the bar.

I followed him making sure to keep my distance, since he obviously didn't want me standing to close to him. I needed answers to my questions and he was the only one now to provide them for me. He was slightly more pleasant than the people I met so far.

He pulled up a blue screen, which showed a picture of a spinning dial, beside it the number 53. I moved down the counter running my fingers over equipment, picking up glowing test tubes and turning on burners just for the heck of it. I picked up a particularly interesting beaker filled with purple liquid and squished it around. I could feel his gaze on me as he typed and when I turned still holding the beaker he quickly put his eyes back on his work and said, " I wouldn't let that touch your skin?"

I put the beaker down without a second thought. " At the bar? Why did you agree to have that drink with me?"

The question was one I had on the back of my mind, lingering like a dull ache. At this point in the game, I had nothing to loose. Any minute now the Shield people could come and take me back to my little cell, one little question could not hurt.

He stopped typing then, but his eyes were still on the screen. A few long moments went by in which I thought he was not going to answer my question before he said. " Honestly I couldn't tell you why."

" You're probably wondering why I kissed you." I said fidgeting with a pair of tweezers.

Still not looking at me he shrugged as if the answer did not matter to him either way. However, I knew it did.

I didn't answer my own question but instead let my body slide down the front of the counter until I was sitting on the ground, him out of my line of sight.

" Have you ever wanted to die?" I asked in a whisper, half to myself half to him.

" Yes," he said without hesitation.

" Great, I thought it was just me," I said sarcastically.

_" Dr. Banner," _Came a sophisticated voice from above.

" Yes Jarvis?" Said Banner. I stood up glancing around the room for the source of the voice. Realizing moments later that it was the room speaking.

_" They are back." _

" The room is talking," I said. " How it is talking?"

Banner stood his fingers still typing against the computer, before removing his glasses and placing them in his front shirt pocket. " Its name is Jarvis," he explained pulling up his sleeves. " He's the artificial intelligence that runs this building."

" This building that is?" I asked raising an eyebrow.

" Stark Towers," he said.

" Jarvis is it?" I said aloud.

" _At your service Ms. McMillian."_

" That is effing amazing," I said.

" Thank you, thank you very much. I created him by the way."

I turned around Tony Stark stood behind me along with the woman from this morning named Natasha, and another guy I did not recognize. I moved back towards the table reaching for anything to protect myself.

" Where's my sister?" I asked.

" Don't know," Tony said causally. " Went to the airport, chased a woman, turns out it wasn't her."

" So you're here to take me back to that cell" I said. "

" Actually no. I never really got into the whole locking women in small enclosed rooms," Tony went to a table and picked up the beaker I picked up earlier, shushed it around, then tipped some over so it spilled onto the floor burning a hole through the tile. Shrugging he put it down then moved to the kitchen to pour himself a cup of coffee.

" It was a decoy," Natasha said. " By now she's gone."

" She wouldn't do that," I blurted. " She only wants you to think that she left, so you'll let me go. Which we all know isn't happening, even if you do find her."

" Ah ha, that's where your wrong," said Tony pouring a pack of sugar into his coffee, followed by another then another, then taking a sip he sighed, and placed the cup on the counter. " We-well not we, I was actually planning on letting you go."

" What?" I asked.

" There's no need for lies and name calling, when all we have to do it work something out. You scratch our back we save yours. And perhaps the world, again."

" I-"

He continued, " You want to find your sister, protect her from shield yada yada, and we want what she stole." He clapped his hands as if coming to some life changing realization. " Do you follow me?"

" You guys already suggested this," I said. " And I've already given you my answer."

His face fell like I had just insulted him. His tone was serious as he said, " Yes, but unlike my pretty Russian teammate over there and our self proclaimed one-eyed commander, you can trust my word. No harm will come to you or your sister if you help us."

I thought about this as I stared at his unyielding face. Could I really trust these people, the same people, who had helped save the city just two months ago. They did work for Shield and they did want my sister in chains. If they were telling the truth, she stole something dangerous, something that could cause war.

I bit my bottom lip thoughtfully.

" What do you want me to do?"

* * *

_" Press this button if you come in any contact with your sister," Natasha explained handing me a small device with a faint blinking light. " An operative will be there immediately to help you."_

Sitting in the back seat of one of Shields back cars I turned the device around in my fingers, examining its features, measuring its weight, all the while wondering what I'd gotten myself into.

My arm throbbed reminding me of reassurance that came with my agreement.

_" OW!" I exclaimed as Banner shot a tracker into my bicep using a small device with a thick metal end._

_" Sorry about that," he said smiling slightly. He wiped a wet towel over my bleeding arm, before wrapping it with a bandage._

_" So this will allow you guys to track me?"_

_" Not only that," he said. " Keep track of your health, It'll also let us know if you are in trouble._

_I raised an eyebrow, " So no more attempts at my own life, darn it. I was so looking forward to you saving me again."_

_"Well…" He coughed awkwardly. "All done.." He said taking his hand off my arm and moving away._

In addition to the signal device and the tracker, they gave me back my purse with all my belongings and my notebook. All of which were still intact, honestly I wanted the notebook back most of all.

" Where to?" Asked the agent in the front seat, looking at me through the rearview window with shaded eyes.

" Blue Ball bar and grill," I said tucking the gadget away and pulling my sleeve down further. It was only eight, so I could at least get a couple of hours in before I had to go back to the tower. My apartment was currently off limits and the agreement was I could come and go as I pleased but my new home was the tower. Still a prisoner…Thinking about it pissed me off, but it was the only way to insure Piper's safety.

He dropped me off at the bar and rolled away without saying goodbye. Taking a deep breath, I opened the doors and stepped in.

Robert was working at the front, but didn't see me when I walked in. I took his not noticing as a chance to open the gate separating the bar counter and walk in next to him.

" What can I get you?" I asked the first man I saw without a drink.

" Kitty!" Robert exclaimed almost dropping the bottle of rosemary rum in his hands.

" Robert," I said in my calmest voice possible. Act like nothing happened Kitty, because nothing did…

" Why are you here?"

" Why wouldn't I be here?" I asked him, then turning to the man again I said, " What will it be?"

" Bloody Bishop over ice," he said. I made a face.

" You got a ride home tonight buddy?" I asked in my bar voice, trying to block out Robert's protests. " Cause that's a hell of a drink."

" Depends on how strong you make it," he said looking me up and down then winking.

Trying my best to smile I turned to get a glass. Robert followed me of course.

" I called the police department, all six of them. The fire departments, even the FBI. The only word I got from you is when I finally decided to call you one last time. Where were you?"

" Around," I said mixing the drink. " Listen what happened yesterday was a result of a mix up they thought I was someone else."

" Bullshit." Robert whispered fiercely.

I pushed the nozzle of the shelly bottle to his throat and pushed hard. " Listen Asian Jesus I need you to backup for at least an hour, I've been through a lot in the last day and a half and I don't need anymore of your shit stinking up the place. Just let me do my fucking job so I can go home."

He looked half insulted and half worried as he held up his hands in surrender and slowly backed away. I finished the drink and slid it down the counter to where the man was; he grabbed it with one long fingered hand.

" Pretty intense," he said taking a long gulp. I glared at him then, ready to give him what Robert just got only to see that he was smiling. The kind of smile that was half frown, half pleasure and all dangerous. His eyes were green, his slicked back hair was brown, and his features were sharp and handsome. " Am I allowed to buy a drink for the bartender?"

" Unfortunately no," I said picking up a rag and cleaning the counter. " But please feel free to place that money in my tip jar," I shook the empty jar for him. " It's been at a negative for the last two days."

He smiled his frowning smile, drank the last of his drink, then reached into his back pocket pulled out a hundred and slipped it into my jar.

" I didn't mean-"

" For your trouble," he said turning and waving.

" Right," I mumbled picking up his glass, " Creep."

An hour passed quickly then, with Robert on the other side of the bar and me steadily making drinks and holding small talk with the people at the counter. Like usual the women smiled and laughed and the men attempted to buy me drinks and get my number. I directed all forms of attention to my jar and politely shooed off the rest. For once in the past day and a half I felt like things were normal.

Only they were not, the throbbing in my arm, and the signal device in my purse was a reminder of that.

Before I knew it, it was twelve and my shift was over. Stocking over to where Robert was wiping the counter I placed a hand on his arm and said. " Can we talk about it tomorrow?"

" Yeah, I can tell you've had a long day. Normally you don't start threatening me till its time to go."

" Sorry about that," I said.

" Get some rest, we'll talk in the morning."

" Rest, right," I said. I had almost forgotten what true non-inducing drug rest, actually was.

I let myself out of the back door that led to the alley, my hand up ready to call a cab. Someone grabbed my arm then, spinning wildly, I swung my bag in his or her direction. My bag filled with pens, my wallet and makeup hit the target with a satisfying "crunch."

The man who drove the car that brought me here, stood behind me, both hands on the shoulders of a man I recognized from the bar, the man's nose was gushing blood.

" What the fuck?" I exclaimed.

My driver placed his hand to the earpiece, " Threat averted," he said his voice robotic.

" Why the fuck did you do that?" I bent down to touch the man's face; he was still breathing but obviously drunk.

He looked at me then, " Kitty McMillian please get in the car, I will be taking you back to the tower."

* * *

"I agreed to help you, to allow you to stick a tracker in me, to call you if I see my sister. I did not agree however to have Pepe Le Pew here follow me around in the shadows."

" You did not, not agree," said Tony. He was currently playing pool in what I assumed was the recreation room of the tower. Banner was on the other side of the room eyes focused on a computer screen.

" I don't want to be followed, the tracker is enough." I said.

" Why are you complaining? Seems to me Pepe here saved your life," Tony said pointing his pool stick at my driver. " There are dangerous people out there Kitty. People who might want you dead." Standing up straight, I could see the glowing blue circle in the middle of his chest where his heart should have been shining through his clothes.

Trying not to stare I said, "He saved me from a drunk guy in a alley. The same guy who was trying to get my number at the bar. He was harmless."

" That's what he wanted you to think," said Tony.

"Even if it wasn't I can handle myself, I don't want anymore help from you guys than necessary."

He made a face. " That hurt. After everything I've done to help you."

" You've done nothing to help me. If its anyone who should be insulted its him," I pointed to where Banner sat.

" He's not," said Tony shooting another ball. The balls scattered across the table spreading in every direction but one. Much like my current life.

" Whatever. Room, bathroom, shower, where is everything?"

Tony stopped playing long enough to scratch his head with the end of the pool stick, then to bend back down and say, " Would show you, if I wasn't busy. Bruce?"

Banner turned around. " What?"

" I get the strong radiating vibe that this one doesn't like me much. Really cannot configure how that might be; I am a bubbling sack of charisma. But that's besides the point, no one else is here at the moment, by default the duty falls to you."

" Right," he said pushing back his hair with his hand and standing. " After you," he said gesturing to the door. My driver started to follow I held out my hand touching his chest with a stopping motion.

" Not you Pepe, I think I'm safe here."

He didn't listen of course.

" She's fine, I have her," said Banner. Nodding my driver saluted and turned on his heels to go wherever it was that bodyguards/drivers went.

" Is he serious?" I asked with a slight laugh.

" Unfortunately," said Banner dryly. " So what do you want to see first."

" The nearest restroom," I said without hesitation. " This place is like a maze."

" Its not so bad once you get used to it," he said.

" Says the Scientist," I replied. He walked further down the hall until we reached two clouded doors, both of which had the classic men/women symbols, only in the middle of both their chest there was a glowing blue circle.

_Cute…_

" Restrooms, showers." He moved down further then turned a corner and climbed some stairs.

" Main kitchen and dining room."

" This place is huge," I said pressing my hand against a dent in the wall, it doesn't look this big from the outside."

" Nothing ever does," he mumbled.

I opened my mouth to comment on his comment when Jarvis's voice broke my thoughts.

_" Welcome Ms. McMillian. As agreed all your personal belongings have been moved to your new room, please step inside._"

The door next to the panel I touched opened revealing a room filled with lighted panels that circled on the wall, a giant queen sized bed in the middle of the room, beside it a sleek side table. On the left side of a room, drawers were installed inside the white walls, on the right a large screen that stretched from one side of the room to the other, in front of it a spiral chair and desk. And on the floor white boxes sat surrounding my bed filled to the brim with my belongings.

* * *

" This is definitely better than my last cell," she mumbled moving her fingers over the walls, then the bed before sitting down. Unsure of whether to leave her or to stay, Banner stood awkwardly his hands folded under his arms trying not to look to unsure.

Then unexpectedly she began to laugh. It started as a low giggle, and then turned to a higher chuckle until she was red faced. He'd heard this type of random, hysterical laughter, usually it ended in bouts of anger and violence.

Her laughter stopped abruptly and Banner prepared himself for screaming, belongings being flung, perhaps even a few in his direction. Instead, she drew her knees up to her chin like she had in her old cell.

" Piper would have given anything for us to live in something like this? And here I am, prisoner in what she wanted the most."

_You're not the only one…_he wanted to say, but he kept his mouth clamped shut. He knew how it felt to be backed in a corner, nowhere to move, only able to surrender. Yet, he did not know the words to say to console a person in that situation. He barely had the words to console himself.

" You'll soon forget," he said instead. It was the first thing to come to his mind.

She looked up at him then with mix-matched eyes, " Why are you doing this?"

He didn't fully understand the question yet he answered anyway. " It is my job to help people. To be a good guy."

A small smile pursed her lips, and her eyes twinkled just a little. " I would have preferred you saying something like ' because you're the most erratic person I've ever met and I've been interested in you since that night at the bar,' at least then I could call you a name. Tony was right, insulting you won't work."

He didn't know to say to that either. She was one of the most erratic people he'd ever met besides Tony, but as far as being interested in her, he only meet her a day and half ago, and so far she was far too much for him to handle. Anyone who could go toe to toe with Fury and Tony were dangerous enough for him to stay away from.

"Keep it up Doctor, I always fall for the strong silent type," she said breaking his thoughts. She pulled off her boots and threw them across the room caring not where they landed.

" I would not suggest that," he said. However, she wasn't listening, she'd already forgotten he was there, and was undressing. She pulled her tank top over her head giving him a momentary view of her long back before he decided it was time to go and closed the door.

It wasn't until he was halfway back to his room, that he realized he was blushing.

* * *

**Might be a slight delay after this chapter since like I said before I wrote this a while ago. This is the last chapter I actually wrote before hand. So I'm actually going to have to start writing chapters from scratch, and with my insane work and college schedule...well I can't make any promises that it will actually be posted as frequently, but I will try. **

**Virtual**** cocktails to all who Review! ( Even if your underage) Hee Hee. **

**REVIEW!**


	5. Chapter 5

**This page was brought to you by pure procrastination of my important college work and three cups of coffee before my first class. **

**Read. Enjoy. Review!**

**I do not own Avengers...**

* * *

The first person I saw when I awoke eight o clock the next morning, on the way to get a shower, was Pepe. He'd apparently been guarding my door the entire night and wasn't about to switch shifts to let me shower alone.

He followed me inside the showers, stopped, and then turned around until he wasn't facing me. Slightly annoyed, I used his shoulder as a tower rack and made sure to take a ridiculous amount of time showering. Neither of which bothered him as much as I hopped it would.

I retreated from my shower him close behind to my room where I sported my " _Help I've been abducted by crazies," _t-shirt and a pair of jogging paints with the faded words, " _Senior," _on the butt. By the time I had walked out again with the intention of exploring the building a little more, I was reminded of how hungry I really was by my complaining stomach.

_Breakfast first then exploring…_I thought as I trailed to the kitchen, Pepe following me of course. I opened the fridge first which was filled with food, as well as the cabinets. There was everything someone would need if they were being held prisoner in a giant tower.

I decided on pancakes and went to work preparing myself a stack along with some bacon, decaf coffee, and sunny side up eggs. _Its just like being home Kitty, except Piper's not here looking over your shoulder and trying to steal bacon. _I thought as I flipped my last pancake.

" What some?" I asked Pepe holding the plate out to him. I may not have known his real name or liked him following me around, but he still deserved common courtesy. He stared at me for a long moment before turning on his heel and standing for the door.

Shrugging I shoved a piece of bacon into my mouth.

I was just about to sit and dig in when someone else blocked the doorway. The figure was tall, at least six or seven feet, and broad, his shoulders covering the expense of the doorway. His hair was long and blond and sat on his shoulders, his face was narrow and handsome, his eyes blue. He wore a metal chest plate, embedded with circles the size of my fist; metal bracelets were on his wrist. Besides being the most ridiculously dressed man I'd seen in a long time, and the most handsome.

He eyed me warily for a moment, then the stack of pancakes and bacon. Then without saying a word, he sat down in the seat intended for me, picked up my fork and dug into my food. His manners left something to be desired and before I could open my mouth and comment on his eating my food, he lifted his hand and said. " Girl servant where is the liquid sugar called syrup?"

Something in me snapped then and I lifted my newly made coffee with every intention of dropping it on his head.

He was reading her file. He knew he should not be, that maybe his was in fact a complete invasion of privacy. However, after last night, his curiosity was getting the best of him. Although if he was being completely honest, it wasn't the background history he was most curious about, it was the copy of her notebook that Shield had provided in the file.

_"The ocean pisses me off, it's full of waves and ever shifting sand. Yet it still knows who it is and never change,." _ was written on half of one of the pages, beneath it a sketch of the ocean, a girl lying in the middle of it, her eyes closed as the water bobbed her up and down.

The computer beeped then and Tony's face appeared on the screen. " Bruce buddy I might need you to get down here."

Banner shut the file, " On my way," he said removing his glasses and spinning around in his chair. He could smell food cooking as he walked down the hall, bacon, pancakes, eggs, and even coffee. His feet carried him to the kitchen where Kitty's bodyguard waited outside the door, and Kitty stood in the kitchen behind Thor a mug full of coffee over his head.

* * *

" Let me just get that," Bruce said as he grabbed the hot mug out of my hand and transferred it over to the counter beside the blonde man eating my food.

" Banner my friend what brings you here? The man greeted smiling widely then taking the mug and gulping down my coffee as well.

" I came to get her actually," Banner said.

" Me for what?"

" Please Banner my friend join me there is a abundance of food. And here I have been led to believe that you do not have servants in this realm." The blond man said still eating. I reached for the spatula; Banner grabbed my hand in his large one. His hand was calloused and his grip strong for someone who worked on test tubes all day.

" That's not a good idea." He said.

"I'm all about making bad decisions," I said making no move to pull my hand back.

" The lab, please" he said finally letting go. I followed him out leaving the blonde man to my food.

We got halfway down the hall before I couldn't help it anymore and blurted out, "What's up with the blonde?"

" Thor," he said.

" Thor…" I repeated tasting the name. " As in the Norse god of thunder."

" Yes," he said.

" His name suits him. He had the nerve to eat my food. Then call me a servant girl."

" He does that sometimes," Banner said.

" I've seen him before, the news maybe, during the whole alien invasion thing. I think. Wait are we talking about the same person?"

" Yes," Banner said.

" Yepee another douche bag who wears a costume." I said flatly holding my aching belly.

We entered the lab where Tony was standing by a hologram of a computer screen touching what seemed like random buttons that flashed under his fingertips.

" Bruce, I've managed to solve the quadratic frequency of …" Tony paused then pointed at me. " Why are you here?"

" Because Banner is protecting the God of thunder from me. Apparently spilling hot coffee on a guy with a God complex is a bad idea." I said folding my arms and wondering around the lab, which was much different from the one in Banner's room. This one had fewer test tubes and beakers. There were more computers and blinking lights.

" I see you have met Thor," Tony said amused. " What do you think?"

" He's handsome," I said. " Is he missing a few marbles?"

" No, that's just the way he is," Banner said pulling up a screen and running his fingers over it.

"He gets one warning after this I can't guarantee that I won't pour anything on his perfect hair." I said.

"Should I be in fear?," Tony said.

I wondered over to a plate of bagels on the table, reaching over I plucked a blueberry one and took a bite. The flesh was warm and soft in my mouth. One hand free I touched the nearest computer screen which blinked to life under my hand. " Maybe," I said my mouth full of bagel.

A blink blue screen appeared with a spinning circle in the middle. The label above consisted of a bunch of tiny scrolling and shifting letters and equations. A tiny counter read, 62% complete. A button below it read, _details. _Touching it I watched as a diagram of a man appeared, then another, which was twice a big as the first. Numbers were calculated below the diagrams and the end resulted equaled to failure on subject number 2.

_Piper is this what you tried to steal? _I thought as I went back to the original page running my finger over the circle, pulling back numbers in the process.

" That wouldn't make any sense," said Banner behind me to Tony. " There has to be a error that we're missing somewhere."

" That would be Dr. Waldling," said Tony sarcastically.

I hit the details button. The human diagrams displayed again. The normal body then the one that was twice a big, the numbers calculated once again on the bottom this time equaling success on the subject number 2.

_" Sir," _said Jarvis his voice filling the room.

" Not now Jarvis," said Tony.

" _Sir, I believe our has solved our dilemma._"

They both turned then to look at me, holding half a bagel, wide eyed like a child who just got caught stealing cookies from the cookie jar. I lifted my hands off the keyboard.

Tony was the first to come over and inspect just about pushing me over to see the screen. He hit the details button again then watched as the sequence played all over again with the number shifting, then the success on figure 2. Banner put his glasses on and watched as the numbers and equations all equaled up to success and the circle made its way to 100%.

When it was finished they both looked at me like I'd just discovered the cure for cancer.

" Why are you two looking at me like that?" I said.

* * *

" Solved by accident," Banner said almost enthusiastically. We were sitting at a restaurant on a plaza strip a couple of blocks away from the tower, both holding a cup of coffee. Me dressed the same as I was inside of the tower, and him wearing a plain white shirt folded at the arms and slacks.

" What can I say I'm a fucking rocket scientist," I joked taking a sip, burning my tongue, and then sitting the cup back down. " So that's what Piper tried to steal?"

" Yes," he said fidgeting with a pen out of his shirt pocket. He seemed slightly uncomfortable sitting with me out in the open, with Pepe at the other table trying not to look to undercover, but failing miserably.

" So the man hunt is over," I said. " I can go back to my normal life."

He frowned. " No, not just yet."

" What?"

" That formula you solved by accident was only a piece of the puzzle, the rest resides in the mind of Dr. Waldling."

" Who is currently kidnapped," I sighed. " Right. So I won't be getting rid of Pepe or Tony or you."

His mouth twitched a little at that, I held up my hands. " Not that I don't like you, you're the nicest one so far, it's just that…"

" I know what you mean," he said solemnly. " It is a lot to take in."

" Too much," I said reaching into my bag and pulling out my notebook. " Today's a hallmark day." I started to sketch the plaza we were sitting at, then Pepe my appointed body guard sitting at his table pretending to drink, then Banner across from me awkwardly spinning his cup around in circles. " Had a coffee with the same guy who saved my life, I kissed, my sister stole a wallet from, and saved my life again, all in that order."

" I wouldn't say that's a hallmark event," Banner said putting is pen in his pocket then taking it back out again.

" Hey dying girl over here, do not' ruin my moment," I said finishing my sketch and closing my notebook. " So lets say this formula gets out, what happens then?"

" There are a variety of variables that could account to that question."

" Give me one," I said.

" Chaos," he said. " Lots and lots of chaos."

I thought about something then that I saw on the news while the invasion was happening. As usual without thinking I said, " Will people who take the formula look like that guy they called the Hulk on the news."

Banner stopped fidgeting with this pen then, and looked up at me directly until our eyes met. Brown against hazel and green, His reserved demeanor fell then, and for a moment I sensed real danger emanating off of him. Then just as quickly it was gone, his reserved demeanor returned, and he replied almost stoically. " There's nothing like that."

The way he said it suggested that perhaps the Hulk was worse than the threat of formula getting out, like he was afraid of it.

I shook my head, denying his previous notion. " He can't be all bad. I mean he did help save the city," I said stirring my coffee absent mindly. " That makes him a hero. Oh and greens my favorite color so I'm pretty sure he's ok."

He was looking at me again in that way that was slightly uncomfortable. I shifted in my seat then cleared my throat. " Either way if we don't find Piper we're going to need his help again. That is if what you guys are telling me is true. Kinda hard to trust a group of people who had me bound and gagged."

The waiter came by then to offer us more coffee and possibly something to eat. I started to shake my head, then thinking better of it I ordered a large banana ice cream sundae, extra fudge with two spoons.

She arrived minutes later with the ice cream sitting it between the two of us. I held out the spoon to him.

" What?"

" Help me eat it," I said taking a chunk out of the banana. His face said, 'you can't be serious,' I molded my mouth into a tight line. " Yes I'm serious, you owe me for cracking that formula." I waved the spoon again until he took it. Our fingers brushed in the exchanged, sending a shockwave of something unfamiliar running up my arm. I ignored it and instead dug in again.

* * *

_Why am I doing this?_ He thought as he held the spoon at arms length right above the ice cream.

" I will refuse to move from this spot until you take a bite," she said stubbornly before shoving the spoon in her mouth, then sliding it back slowly, causing the smooth metal to roll over the curve of her bottom lip before finding its way to the sundae again.

He dipped the spoon in the ice cream then brought it to his mouth quickly. She threw up her hands in triumphant, and then made a noise that was a cross between a yelp and the word ' yes.' Then bringing out her notebook, she wrote something down quickly and set it aside again.

" Thank you," she said taking another bite.

He nodded not knowing what else to say then unconsciously took a chunk out of the banana and put it in his mouth. The exchange continued until there was nothing left but a single chunk of banana in the otherwise empty space of the bowl.

" We can either play spoons for it, or split it."

" I'd much rather you have it," Bruce said pushing the bowl in her direction. He'd honestly eaten more than he'd attended to and was now feeling lightly nauseas because it. She frowned. He could honestly say the little gesture was starting to wear on him.

" Spoons or split," she said not giving him another alternative action. He glanced around; most of the people who were sitting when they arrived were long gone, replaced with new faces. _How long have we been sitting here? _

He held up his spoon, she lifted hers, the two touched in the middle of the bowl. He released his in a minor show of effort. " You win," he said.

" You didn't even try asshole," she said picking up the last piece of banana with her fingers and shoving it into her mouth. " I get the feeling you didn't even want it."

" You've caught me red handed," he said standing.

He started to reach into his back pocket to get his wallet when she slapped a ten on the table before he could. " The girl always pays for the second date," her full lips curled into a satisfied smile. " Don't you know anything 'Mr. I'm Just a Scientist?'

No, he didn't know that. Then again, he hadn't been on a date in a while. And he didn't consider this a date. She'd asked him to come out, because apparently he was the only person from the team she actually trusted, even if she only knew him for a little more than two days. He could always chop it down to human nature, and the need to having some form of companionship in hard times, but that answer was always unsatisfying when it came to what women wanted from him.

He considered himself a reserved person, or at least he tried to be. Calm, patient, almost totally void of outward emotion, although no one would totally pull that off and not be completely unnoticed.

Yet here she was breaking down that wall he had taken so long to put up. Emotions were dangerous to him; ' He' didn't allow it. Having a woman for anything more than a friend, was out of the picture.

She spoke of how his other side was a hero, and how he couldn't be entirely bad if he helped save he city. It was easy to say that when she hadn't seen him face to face, felt the raw intense fear that came with knowing he could kill without a second's hesitation. She would have to stand next to the beast to know the truth of it.

"Nick Fury, Tony Stark, Natasha Romanoff, Thor, Bruce Banner" she said as she scribbled in her notebook.

" What are you doing?"

" Slowly but surely writing my ransom memoir to remind myself a couple weeks from now when I'm suffering from Stockholm syndrome, that you guys are total douche bags, and I should escape as soon as the timing is right."

He was just about to reply to her statement when a hand gripped his shoulder hard and spun him around.

* * *

**Has anyone picked up the Avengers DVD yet? Just got my 3D copy today! But knowing my college schedule I won't be watching it until Saturday. Life sucks! T-T**

**Please Review! **


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